Brightons exceptional Mitoma can still improve and De Zerbi is the man to nurture him

June 23, 2024

Pep Guardiola likes Kaoru Mitoma so much that he repeated the same word to emphasise his admiration for Brighton & Hove Albion’s left-winger.

“Mitoma is an exceptional, exceptional player,” said the Manchester City manager, after Mitoma, in combination with second-half substitute Ansu Fati, had the Premier League and European champions hanging on in the end for Saturday’s 2-1 win over Brighton at the Etihad Stadium.

The Japan international, like the rest of Roberto De Zerbi’s visiting team, sparked into life after the break. It was half a job, which is why it could be a while yet before City, or another big club, make a serious move to buy Mitoma. The 26-year-old is not yet the finished article.

Brighton know they have another gem rolling down their production line of talents signed at low cost and developed into players of far greater value. The club announced a new four-year contract for Mitoma on Friday, through to June 2027, which amounts to an additional two years on his previous deal.

That is as much about protecting themselves and enhancing an asset as it is a show of loyalty by the club or the player. Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, for example, left for Chelsea and Liverpool respectively in the summer within months of signing new long-term contracts with Brighton.

There is no telling exactly when Mitoma might follow suit, or who will come after him. City, Arsenal and Liverpool have all been speculatively linked, but there is enough evidence to suggest there is room to improve in his game and that De Zerbi is the ideal head coach to oversee and deliver that improvement.

Mitoma being fouled by Manuel Akanji on Saturday (Tim Goode/PA Images via Getty Images)

Guardiola said so himself in the summer, before City’s friendly against Yokohama F Marinos in Japan. He described the impact of Mitoma on the Premier League as “incredible”, adding: “He is in the right place with the right manager, and his last season was extraordinary.”

Mitoma’s numbers in his debut campaign in England were eye-catching, following a £3million move from Kawasaki Frontale in his homeland and a 2021-22 season on loan to Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium’s top flight.

He provided 10 goals and seven assists in 41 appearances last season across all competitions. A further three goals and three assists in his first nine Premier League outings of 2023-24 mean Mitoma is making a goal contribution at the rate of nearly one every two games.

Part of what makes him such a menace to opponents is that he can burst into life and change the course of a match when they think they have him under control.

That was the case against City on Saturday.

Mitoma made little impact going forward against Kyle Walker in the opening 45 minutes. His best work was doing the dirty stuff, tracking back in defensive duties. Phil Foden was convinced he had been fouled when Mitoma knocked him off the ball close to the corner flag to earn his team a goal kick. Mitoma also displayed defensive discipline to follow John Stones, trying to latch onto a back-heel from Foden down the right flank.

Brighton need Mitoma operating where his opposite number on City’s left wing was in the first half — deep in opposition territory. Jeremy Doku tormented them, setting up Julian Alvarez for an early breakthrough, and Erling Haaland doubled the lead after a mistake in possession by Carlos Baleba, who was making his first away start in the league.

Fatigue prompted Mitoma’s withdrawal from the Japan squad for friendlies back home this month against Canada and Tunisia. Suitably refreshed, he was far more threatening in the second half at the Etihad as De Zerbi’s side pressed more and played with greater energy and purpose.

Mitoma lacked conviction when Fati chipped him through, as onrushing goalkeeper Stefan Ortega blocked a tame shot. But those two linked up to greater effect to halve the deficit, Mitoma turning inside and then outside of Walker to find Fati via the obliging outstretched foot of City’s later red-carded Manuel Akanji. Fati’s finish was clinical, his second goal in eight games on loan from Barcelona for the season.

An incisive burst through the centre of the pitch by Mitoma, exploiting his speed, was responsible for the first of Akanji’s bookings for fouls.

De Zerbi said: “I would like Mitoma to play in the first half like (he did in) the second half. I’m frustrated. We lost the first half and we lost the possibility to play like Brighton, with our quality, with our DNA.”

One of De Zerbi’s gifts is making players better through his coaching. Mitoma is a work in progress for the Italian. “Kaoru can improve when coming inside between the lines of the pitch,” he says. “When he is wider, when he tries one-to-one or tries to attack the space, he is one of the best wingers in the world.

“I think his (area for) improvement is when he comes inside, when he receives the ball between the lines. He has to improve in body shape as the assist man and the last part of the pitch, to score more goals. He has the quality to score 20 goals.”

More time under De Zerbi is the right environment for Mitoma to continue his development.

(Top photo: Tim Goode/PA Images via Getty Images)

ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57k3Jvamxpa3xzfJFsZmpoX2eAcLnIraammV2Yrq950q2gpaRdnrqxvs6vnGg%3D